A Community of Parents and Teachers gathered to share views, visions and resources for
the advancement of art education for our children.

March 30, 2009

Cray-Pas® Wonderful, Colorful, World Contest 2009 Winners

We are pleased to share the winners of Sakura of America’s wonderful, Colorful World of Cray-Pas® 2009 Contest.

Out of over four thousands of submissions, artwork of one hundred and fifty finalists, highlighting nine winners and honorable mentions, have been selected and on display at the Museum of Children’s Art, Oakland, California from January 31 to March 15, 2009.

The Oil Pastel Society will host the winner’s artwork on its website: oilpastelsociety.com. In addition, the World Awareness Children's Museum in Glens Falls, New York will select three hundred to five hundred pieces from the remaining entries for its annual International Youth Art Exchange Program.

"The Cray-Pas contest is an annual event with my public school students. Sakura is to be congratulated for their undying devotion to student art efforts and their talents. Any time even one of my students has their work recognized, I consider it a blessing. Winning and not winning are a part of life; students (and their teachers) learn to accept this as part of life and the growing process. With that in mind, our school will enter next year," states John A. Rodak, art educator of student finalists of Kleb Intermediate, Spring, Texas.

“A child’s overall academic performance benefits from art education. Today’s students will be the leaders of the twenty-first century, and can develop valuable skills from art such as critical thinking, effective self-expression, and creative problem solving,” states Julia Reed, marketing manager for Sakura of America.